Bill Start

An act to add Section 8593.4 to the Government Code, relating to emergency services.

[
Approved by
Governor
September 21, 2018.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 21, 2018.
]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 821, Jackson.
Emergency notification: county jurisdictions.

The California Emergency Services Act establishes the Office of Emergency Services in the office of the Governor and provides that the office is responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies, including responsibility for activities necessary to prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of emergencies and disasters to people and property.

Existing law defines “emergency plan” for purposes of emergency services provided by local governments and requires each county, including a city and county, upon the next update to its emergency plan, to integrate access and functional needs into its emergency plan by addressing, at a minimum, how the access and functional needs population, as defined, is served by emergency communications, evacuation, and sheltering.

This bill would authorize each county, including a city and county, to enter into an agreement to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility or other agency responsible for water service, waste and recycling services, or other property-related services for the sole purpose of enrolling county residents in a county-operated public emergency warning system. The bill would require any county that enters into such an agreement to include procedures to enable any
resident to opt out of the warning system and a process to terminate the receiving agency’s access to the resident’s contact information. The bill would prohibit the use of the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification.

Digest Key

Vote:
MAJORITY
Appropriation:
NO
Fiscal Committee:
NO
Local Program:
NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 8593.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8593.4.

(a) A county, including a city and county, may enter into an agreement to access the contact information of resident accountholders through the records of a public utility or other agency, including an electrical or gas corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, public water agency, or other agency responsible for water service, waste and recycling services, or other related services for a property address, for the sole purpose of enrolling county residents in a county-operated public emergency warning system.

(b) A county, including a city and county, that enters into an agreement to access information pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include procedures to
enable any resident to opt out of the warning system and a process to terminate the receiving agency’s access to the contact information of the resident from a public utility or other agency, including an electrical or gas corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, public water agency, or other agency responsible for water service, waste and recycling services, or other related services for a property address. A county, or city and county, may not use the information gathered for any purpose other than for emergency notification. The receiving agency shall ensure that the confidentiality of the contact information is protected under reasonable security procedures.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a public utility or other agency, including an electrical or gas corporation, local publicly owned electric utility, public water agency, or other agency responsible for water service, waste and recycling services, or other related services for a property address, shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for the accuracy of, or any use, nonuse, or improper release of, the contact information it provides to the county under this section, including, without limitation, for any deficiencies or inaccuracies of the contact information provided.